This is the Garden Express Summer Garden Photo Competition. Entrants need to be Garden Express Forum members. Please refer to the Competition Terms & Conditions and the specific Judging Criteria and Prize announcements. Entries close March 17th 2006. Competition now closed - winners have been announced.

These pics are of a bed of Mini Dahlia's and Crackerjack Marigolds. They have blossomed better than i had expected. The soil here is typical Sth East of Melbourne Market Gardeners soil. Sand/Sillica, still it drains very well. I added a few 25 litre bags of cheap compost, only $ 3.00ea. I also added a very generous helping of blood and bone and mixed this in well.

Early on i had some issues with springtime Blackbirds that resulted in a few casualty's on the Mini Dahlia's. With this being the first time i have grown them i was not sure what they would look like as they also took the growing tips out of a few, This had a slow but worthwhile effect as they doubled into multiple head displays. Nature doing it's thing i guess. The Crackerjack Marigolds didn't attain the height i have had them to years back, Still we have had a lot of wind this Spring and they are a bit exposed in the early stages. The blooms were as fat as they always have been though.

Once a fortnight i would turn over the area's around the plants to help air the soil as it really packs down here if left for weeks on end. Other than this i watered regulary. Having some good solid rains this Spring i think has also helped.

One tip i have learnt this year is with liquid fertiliser. I have always been a fan of fish/seaweed based additives as they really work fantastic. This season instead of the usual once a fortnight as per the instructions..I went on to a small half cap or occasional full cap each time i watered. This is usually every 2/3 days or so. The results have been promising, My Impatience have quite thick stems and so many available tips for taking cuttings.

Wonderful!!!! And you got the place for the summer garden comp right on!

It's all so beautifully colourful and I love the contrast that those little cyprus(?) trees give. I think that my favourite pic is the first one, because it's so bright and leaves you wondering what's beyond.